| Summary: | In Malaysia, the oil palm industry has brought significant impacts to the economy,
social, geographical as well as the environment but the waste produced from palm oil
production has become concerned. Palm kernel shell is an abundant residue produced
from the oil palm processing. The possibility of utilizing palm kernel shell in the
fiberboard could help to overcome the shortage of wood resources facing in the wood
based industry. Therefore, a series of fiberboard samples have been fabricated using
wood fiber/palm kernel shell at ratio of 100/0, 85/15, 75/25, and 65/35. The
polyurethane adhesive was added at different percentage (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70%).
The effect of polyurethane and palm kernel shell composition addition into the
composite has been studied in terms of physical and mechanical properties.
The results showed that the bulk density of the sample obtained was within the range of
medium density fiberboard types. Generally, the hardness, tensile modulus, tensile
strength, flexural modulus and flexural strength were increased with the increase of
polyurethane adhesive percentage. The porosity, moisture content and water absorption
also were improved with the increment of polyurethane percentage. The effects were
also explained in terms of surface morphology. Besides that, 15% to 25% of palm
kernel addition in the medium density fiberboard was increased its mechanical
properties. However, low properties observed with further palm kernel shell addition.
According to the Japanese Industrial standard, the sample met the JIS A 5905 for board
type 5 except 85/15 and 75/25 of wood fiber/palm kernel shell composites using 20%
of polyurethane addition. In addition, the percentage of moisture content meet
minimum requirement of medium density fiberboard for decorative purpose.
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